Outlet for generator leads



Aug. 5, 1930. I D. s. BARROWS OUTLET FOR GENERATORLEADS Filed May 31, 1927 Dona/a 5 Barrows IN VEN TOR A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 5, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD S. BARROWS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,-ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 SIMPLEX EQUIPMENT COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF DELAWARE OUTLET FOR GENERATOR LEADS Application filed May 31,

The invention relates to generators, particularly such as form part of the equipment in car lighting systems and more particularly to the generator lead construction.

One of the objects of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a simple, practical and thoroughly dependable generator lead outlet Which not only serves to enclose and protect the leads against bending or chafing where they enter the housing but also is capable of performing other and more specific functions to be set forth.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lead outlet having means thereon and cooperating therewith for maintaining the end cover in place.

In generators of the type disclosed there is usually provided a pole chan 'er swltch which is covered or enclosed by a dome or end cover which serves to protect the parts and exclude dirt, water or other foreign matter. The outlet of the present invention 18 particularly well adapted for use upon or as part of a generator of this character inasmuch as it may be and preferably is provided with a securing means for holding the end cover or dome against displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lead outlet which is hinged or pivotally mounted with respect to the frame of the generator and held detachably in place 1n such manner that it may be swung out of the way or to non-obstructing position in case access must be had to certain parts of the generator and associated mechanisms, such as the pole changer switch, its terminals, or the like, as may frequently occur in actual service.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an outlet of this character so constructed as to have detachably connected therewith the usual canvas or other flexible hose or conduit which encloses and protects the leads.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and Well adapted to 1927. Serial No. 195,447.

meet the varying conditions of hard practical use.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a generator with the casing thereof in section, an embodiment of the invention being disclosed in applied or operative position, and

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Referring more particularly to the drawing I have illustrated a more or less conventional type of generator designated generally by the reference character 1 and having secured thereto a bracket 2 as is the ordinary practice in car lighting installation. And as conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it may at this point be noted that in car lighting systems the generator is oftentimes suspended from the car body or from the truck and is driven from a car axle. Accordingly, the direction of drive of the generator is subjected to reversals depending upon the direction in which the vehicle moves and Where the generator has associated With it a storage battery to be charged thereby, as is usually the case, it is important that the polarity of the output of the generator be appropriately controlled when its direction of drive changes in order that the relation of the generator to the battery for charging will be consistently appropriate. Such control of the polarity of the generator is oftentimes achieved by what is termed broadly a pole changer and this may be in the form of a switch or in any other suitable form and is adapted to be actuated in one direction or the other according to the direction in which the generator drive is commenced. This pole changer is usually and preferably associated directly with the generator and is preferably incorporated therewith. The generator is represented as enclosed within or embodying a casing or housing 3 to which is secured a head 4 carrying a bracket 5 provided for the purpose of supporting a pole changer of the character abovementioned in connection with this particular type of apparatus. The structure also further includes an end cover or dome 6 coo aerating with the head 4: for the purpose of constituting an end closure so that all the generator parts themselves will be protected against the ingress of water, dirt or other foreign matter, a feature of particular importance where the generator is exposed as when driven from a car axle.

In accordance with certain features of my invention, I provide an outlet device indicated generally at 7 and here shown as comprising an arm 8 of curved shape pivoted at one end, as represented at 9, upon an ear 10 formed upon or carried by the head 1. This arm has its other end detachably connected by a removable pin 11 or the like with one or more ears 12 on the bracket 5 so that upon removal of the pin, or its equivalent, the arm may be permitted to swing down to give access to the mechanism of the pole changer switch. The arm 8 may be of hollow construction or more or less channel shaped in cross section to form an enclosing guide for the generator leads 13 which are brought through an opening or open portion 1 1 in the upper side of the curved arm for connection with the terminals of the generator. Intermediate its ends the arm 8 is formed with a cylindrical outstanding portion 15 from which projects a reduced tubular extension 16 preferably inclined downwardly. The outstanding portion 15 is chambered out at 17 and communicates with the interior of the tubular extension 16 and the hollow arm 8, the leads 13 being brought out through the chamber 17 and tubular extension.

The dome 6 above described is centrally apertured so as to be slipped over the outstanding cylindrical portion or projection 15, a packing gasket 18 being interposed between the outer surface of the arm 8 and the inner face of the confronting portion of the dome or end cover. The dome is secured against displacement by means of a lever nut or the like 19 screwed upon the exteriorly threaded outstanding projection 15, the dome being thereby clamped firmly in place with respect to the arm and to the abutment shoulder 20 provided on the head i.

I also provide a canvas or other flexible hose-like conduit 21 for the protection of the leads, and in accordance with certain features of my invention I provide a secure and dependable anchorage for the conduit 21 in that the latter is engaged upon the reduced extension 16 and secured with respect thereto as by means of any suitable clip or clamp 22 of ordinary pattern.

Considering now the action of the apparatus, it might first be noted that the nut 19 permits the end cover or dome 6 to be rigidly and securely clamped against the shoulder 20 of the generator frame or head, thus dependably enclosing the pole changing apparatus, the connections thereto, and other parts of the generator, and dependably protecting such parts as these against ingress of water or such foreign matter as might be thrown up from the roadbed. Also, the generator leads 13 are dependahly held within the dome 6, as by the channeled member 8 not only in such a way as to prevent kinking or bending but also out of possible interference with such mechanism as the pole changer device, for example. Moreover, the leads are brought out of the dome and dependably held in a way that prevents kinking or bend ing while the downwardly directed tube-like extension 16 either independently or in coaction with the conduit 21 dependably prevents water or foreign matter from getting into the generator casing through the opening through which the leads are brought out.

Should it he desired to gain access to the interior of the housing as, for example, to inspect or repair such mechanism as the pole changer device, such access may be gained in a rapid and simple manner. The nut 19 is unscrewed from the threaded shoulder 15 and is allowed to slip down upon the tubular extension 16, whereupon the dome 6 itself may be moved in a direction toward the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and itself slid along the reduced extension 16 or along the conduit 21 for a sufiicient distance to bring it into substantially non-obstructing relation to the generator. Also, the pin 11 may be withdrawn so that the curved arm 8 may be swung in counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 9, whence the dome 6, as well as the outgoing lead wires with the conduit 21, are similarly swung downwardly and completely out of the way. Thus, access to the generator parts including the pole changer is readily and easily gained, it being noted that even during the swinging of the arm 8 the leads 13 are dependably safeguarded against possible harm in that the leads 13 emerge from the arm 8 adjacent the pivot 9 so that they are themselves subjected to a minimum amount of bending.

The manner of reassembly of the parts will be clear in view of the foregoing, but it might be noted that the arm 8 is first swung upwardly about its pivot 9 and the pin 11 reinserted to hold the arm securely to the cars 12 on the bracket 5 3 such action practically centralizes the threaded portion 15 with respect to the shoulder 20 of the generator frame or head and the parts are thus in readiness to receive the dome (3, whence the nut 19 may be driven home to clamp the dome 6 against the generator frame.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a construction in which the several objects hereinabove noted, as well as many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. It will be seen that the apparatus is of simple but thoroughly practical construction, is capable of being embodied in inexpensive form, is easily and quickly manipulated and, moreover, is Well adapted to meet the varying conditions of hard practical use. It will furthermore be seen that the leads are dependably housed and protected and, moreover, in a manner that insures protection of the leads even during the assembly or disassembly of the parts.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a bracket, and a removable dome engaging the head, a lead outlet pivotally connected with the head and detachably connected with the bracket, the major portion of said outlet being located within the dome and a portion extending through the dome.

2. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a bracket, and a removable dome engaging the head, a lead outlet pivotally connected with the head and detachably connected with the bracket, the major portion of said outlet being located within the dome and a portion extending through the dome, and means on said projecting portion for securing the dome in place.

3. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a bracket, and a removable dome engagingthe head, a lead outlet pivotally connected with the head and detachably connected with the bracket, the major portion of said outlet being located within the dome and a portion extending through the dome, and means on said projecting portion for securing the dome in place, said projecting portion terminating in a reduced tubular extension.

4. In a generator including a housing hav ing at one end a head carrying a bracket, and a removable dome engaging the head, a lead outlet pivotally connected with the head and detachably connected with the bracket, the major portion of said outlet being located within the dome and a portion extending through the dome, and means on said projecting portion for securing the dome in place comprising a nut threaded upon said projecting portion and engaging exteriorly against the dome.

5. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a bracket, a lead outlet comprising a curved arm pivoted at one end to the head and having its other.

end detachably connected with said bracket, said arm being provided intermediate its ends with an outstanding projecting portion terminating in a tubular extension, said projecting portion being chamberedand communicating with the tubular extension and the interior of the arm for the passage of the leads.

6. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a, bracket, a lead outlet comprising a curved arm pivoted one end to the head and having its other end detachably connected with said bracket, said arm being provided intermediate its ends with an outstanding projecting portion terminating in a tubular extension, said projecting portion being chambered and communicating with the tubular extension and the interior of the arm for the passage of the leads, a closure dome detachably engaged with the head and apertured for engagement upon the outstanding projection on the arm, and means on said projection for clamping the dome in place.

7. In a generator including a housing having at one end a head carrying a bracket, a lead outlet comprising a curved arm pivoted at one end to the head and having its other end detachably connected with said bracket, said arm being provided intermediate its ends with an outstanding projecting portion terminating in a tubular extension, said projecting portion being chambered and communicating with the tubular extension and the interior of the arm for the passage of the leads, a closure dome detachably engaged with the head and apertured for engagement upon the outstanding projection on the arm, and means on said projection for clamping the dome in place comprising a lever nut threaded thereonto.

S. In a generator including a housing having a head at one end, the combination of a lead enclosing outlet pivotally connected at one end with the head and having its other end detachably mounted whereby the outlet may be swung outwardly with respect to the generator.

9. In a generator including a housing having a head at one end, the combination of a lead enclosing outlet pivotally connected at one end with the head and having its other end detachably mounted whereby the outlet may be swung outwardly with respect to the generator, closure means engageable with the head, and means carried by said outlet for securing said closure means in effective position.

10. A generator comprising a housing, a head at one end thereof, a bracket extending from said head, a curved arm movably mounted on said head and detachably connected to said bracket, closure means adapted to cover said bracket and arm, an extension on said arm passing through said closure means, and means threadedly engaging said extension for holding said closure means in place.

ll. 3r generator comprising a housing, head at one end thereof, bracket extending from said head, a curved arm movably mo nted with respect to said head at one end and detachably connected to said bracket at the other end. said arm being formed with a hollow enter non serving as a lead outlet, said exten ion being prorided with a threaded portion, a closure member apertured for receiving said extension and engaging the head around the periphery thereof, and a nut engaging the threaded portion or" said extension for holding said closure member in place.

12. In construction or the character described, in combination, a generator having an open portion, a member pivoted thereto t said open portion, said member and being provided with means i holding said member against swinging about its pivot, and a closure closing said open portion of the generator and for covering said member and its detachable connection, said closure being carried by said member.

13. In construction of the character described, in combination, a generator having an open portion, a member pivoted thereto adjacent said open portion, said member and said generator being provided With means for detachably holding said member against swinging about its pivot, a closure member adapted to close the open portion of said gen orator and to cover said member and its detachable connection, and means detachably connecting said closure to said member.

11'. In construction of the character described, in combination, a generator having an open portion, means mounted adjacent said en portion and connected to said generator to be movable toward or away from said open portion, a closure adapted to close the open portion of said generator, and means securing said closure to said firstanentioned means.

15. In construction of the character described, in combination, a generator having an open portion, means mounted adjacent said open portion and connected to said generator to be movable toward or away from said open portion, a closure adapted to close the open portion of said generator, said firstmentioned means being provided with apasadapted to guide the generator leads and said closure having an opening through which a portion of said means is adapted to ,2; and means for securing said closure to said hrst-mentioned means.

0. in construction of the character de- 1 a ac n said i "Sir closing the open end of said generator, means DONALD s. BARROWS. 

